The trio of doctors worked at hospitals where Savile had been linked and have been accused by victims in the last two weeks.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a Department of Health inquiry into Savile would cover "everything we need to do".

A lawyer acting on behalf of the victims of the BBC DJ claimed that although he was dead it was possible to take action against his estate.

Alan Collins, a partner and specialist in abuse work at law firm Pannone, said: "If he [Jimmy Savile] was acting as an individual, it is possible to take action against Sir Jimmy Savile's estate because he was a wealthy man and there will be assets to claim against.

"It is imperative that action is taken promptly in order to advance clients' claims which arise from their allegations of sexual abuse."

BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten claimed that allegations of sex abuse against the BBC DJ and presenter had done "terrible damage" to the reputation of the corporation.

Lord Patten, who has come under criticism for the speed of his response, said that the best way of restoring public trust in the BBC was for the independent inquiries set up to look into the scandal to get to the bottom of what happened as soon as possible and for the corporation to be "open" about what they find.

The Trust chairman admitted that he did not read press reports earlier this year about the scrapping of a Newsnight film exposing Savile, but denied charges that he was devoting too little time to the job of heading the BBC's regulator because of his other interests.